Work Text:
"I-I like you! Please accept my feelings!"
Peh-yan would just walk away from the scene after maybe snickered to himself when he happened to witness this kind of thing if he didn't recognize the people involved in the said scene.
But since he did, he was frozen, unable to tear his gaze away.
"Ah, um, okay, I guess?" Peh watched Mitsuya scratch the back of his neck bashfully. "Thank you, Yasuda."
Yasuda beamed at him.
And that was when everything registered to Peh, that he didn't have any right to see everything.
He turned away, trying to silence the ugly emotion bubbling up in his chest, shutting his eyes in the hope of erasing the whole thing he had just seen.
That was why, he missed the way Mitsuya clapped Yasuda's shoulder, telling her, "Good job, Yasuda-san. I think it'll go well."
It's quite strange that the club's activity went on without any trouble at all.
Of course, the peacefulness was something that Mitsuya enjoyed, but somehow being too peaceful got him thinking about what could go wrong.
That was also because of the fact that Yasuda had been sulking and seemed to have no energy to help Mitsuya lead the activities like she always normally did. Instead of being cheerful and energized, she opted to sit at her desk, doing her crocheting in quiet. Mitsuya didn't mean to stare, but if Shimura had come to him, complaining about how Yasuda seemed to be in a bad mood, at least twice, maybe something was indeed wrong.
"You're skipping a stitch there," Mitsuya said, without any intention to surprise her, but Yasuda jolted back from her seat nonetheless.
"Oh, right," she looked down on her work, inspecting the thread. And with a subtle sigh, she redid the stitch.
"Why's so blue?" Mitsuya asked casually, picking up a ball of sky-colored yarn, as if he was talking about the object.
Yasuda didn't meet his eyes, when she mumbled, "Nothing."
But it wouldn't be nothing, because Mitsuya was standing next to her, and Yasuda looked like she had her mind wandering to anywhere but this very club room.
"You'll tell me if something's bothering you, right, Yasuda-san?"
He leaned down, checking out her work.
Yasuda huffed a nonchalant "sure."
Mitsuya let his gaze linger on his junior for a while, but Yasuda had clamped her mouth shut, clearly doing the opposite of what Mitsuya had asked.
In the end, he just patted her back gently.
"Alright, you know where to find me if you want to talk."
Yasuda nodded.
When he was about to walk away, he pretended he didn't see what she had been doing in secret, he pretended he hadn't noticed Yasuda's surreptitious glance on the door for the umpteenth.
The club's activity was indeed too peaceful lately.
But somehow the lack of disturbances was bothering someone.
And Mitsuya was one of the only two people who thought of that.
Mitsuya wasn't so stupid to not know that Peh-yan had been avoiding him.
They were bound to always cross paths, with them being in the same school and in the same gang. He had met Pah-chin several times this week (excluding the Toman meeting) but he barely saw Peh (including the Toman meeting).
That was why, when he happened to bump into him in the hallway, Mitsuya pulled him aside on reflex.
Peh-yan went into defensive mode when someone yanked his shoulder, but he quickly deflated when he noticed the culprit.
"Feels like I haven't seen you in ages. Thought you've dropped out already, Peh," Mitsuya joked, and it wasn't like different banter than he usually did with him and Pah. They shared the same strange sense of humor after all. But Peh frowned as if Mitsuya's words personally offended him.
"You would like that, wouldn't ya?" He snapped, slapping Mitsuya's hand off himself.
The act of reluctance did him no harm, but the reaction was the one that surprised Mitsuya.
"I didn't mean—" he started.
But Peh didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence.
And the worst part?
There was no comeback, not even the stupid or the weak one.
Peh-yan just walked away, without trying to give him any snide or sarcastic remark.
Somehow, it made everything worse.
"Have I seen Peh?" Draken raised his eyebrows. "Just did, he's with Pah back there—"
Mitsuya didn't bother to explain what was going on when he went to the place Draken had pointed him to.
Peh and Pah seemed to be in serious conversation and paid no attention to their surrounding. But once, Mitsuya walked to them, they turned their heads, stopping him on his track.
"What do you want, Mitsuya?"
Mitsuya recognized the tone. It was the intimidating one that he heard Pah used to challenge his opponent.
He didn't remember he had ever started a beef with his fellow captain, but maybe he did it without meaning to.
"Nothing," Mitsuya lifted his hands in defeat, showing him that he wasn't a threat. At least, not until it was necessary. "I just want to say—"
"We're busy, leave us alone." Peh-yan cut him off, this time very clearly, didn't want to acknowledge Mitsuya's presence unless he had to.
"Oh, well, I'm sorry to bother you, then," Mitsuya backed away. Pah-chin and Peh-yan didn't comment on his leaving, but he could feel their laser gazes on his back.
If a sharp stare could kill, Mitsuya had been probably dead by now.
"I don't see anything strange, honestly," Draken adjusted the Pochi's leash on his hand. "They look okay to me? I mean, Pah-chin did let me walk Pochi today, and he didn't say anything weird?"
Mitsuya huffed.
Draken glanced at him. "Is something supposed to be wrong?"
Mitsuya was tempted to tell Draken about everything. He had his theories as to why Peh-yan had been acting rude to him, and he wanted to hear Draken's insight on this matter. But he didn't know if it was the right thing to do.
When Draken invited him to walk Pochi this afternoon, Mitsuya thought he could take his mind off the whole thing for a while.
Just enjoying himself, spending time with Draken and Pochi.
But it seemed, he couldn't rest until he got to the bottom of the reason Peh-yan had been sorta antagonizing him.
"Speaking of the devil."
Mitsuya was about to say, what Draken meant, but the answer manifested itself in the form of a surprised Peh, walking straight to them.
He was also too startled to say or do anything, that he didn't act fast enough to prevent Peh from escaping.
Luckily, Draken was on his best reflex when he thrust the leash into Mitsuya's hand and caught Peh-yan by his shoulder before he could make the run of himself.
"Hold on, Peh," Draken's words might be as dangerous as the threatening smile that bloomed on his lips. "I think someone needs to have a talk with you."
A very unusual trio (a quartet if you will, with Pochi around) were sitting together at a picnic table on the playground.
Draken rapped his fingers against the wooden surface as if he timed the proper moment for someone to start speaking.
Mitsuya decided that he'd go first.
"Spit it out, Peh," he didn't bother to beat around the bush. "I know, you have something to tell me. Or problems with me, whichever got you avoiding me like the plague and giving me stink eyes when you thought I wasn't looking."
Peh-yan scoffed, didn't want to meet Mitsuya's scrutinizing eyes.
"I hate to confront you, but I will hate it more if we can't have decent interaction without me knowing about what's going on."
Draken tapped the table.
"You got something to say to Mitsuya, Peh? 'Cos I will hate it if I have to pry your hand off him, once you decide it's better to get into a brawl to solve the problems. Because you're not gonna survive that."
The threat got Peh slightly gulped down.
Despite the serious tone, Mitsuya caught his twinkling eyes. It took him serious effort to not accidentally smile and make the situation even worse.
"I got no problem with him," Peh grumbled. "Why would I?"
Mitsuya shrugged. "I don't know either. But I definitely can tell when someone's not being honest."
Draken tapped the table again. "Peh?"
"I told you, Draken, I have nothing to say," Peh-yan very clearly did not acknowledge Mitsuya's presence. "It's not like I want to fight him either, why would I, huh? So that I'll know, someone will cry for him? Just leave me alone!"
Mitsuya suddenly wanted to laugh.
Out loud.
And he did exactly that.
Catching the other two off guard.
Mitsuya spent a good minute wheezing, holding onto Draken's arm, who was staring at him with, if not concern, probably amusement.
Somehow, the way everyone but him, had no any understanding about the hilarity of this, really got him.
"It's official, he's going crazy," Peh frowned. "Can I go now?"
Mitsuya leaned forward to catch Peh's arm. "No, no, don't go yet," he wheezed again. "Not without clearing the whole mess of this misunderstanding."
Mitsuya turned to Draken.
He only managed to say, "I need to do this, you gotta trust me," and before Draken could question his words, Mitsuya reached for his face and kissed him.
"WHAT THE FUCK?"
Draken's initial response to Mitsuya pressing their lips together was to pull back, but Mitsuya cupped his face so firmly, leaving no room for hesitation and doubt.
Soon, Draken melted to the kiss, one hand fleeing to Mitsuya's waist, keeping him in place.
Draken was the first to pull back, squeezing Mitsuya's side in warning when Mitsuya was reluctant to let him go.
Begrudgingly, he compelled.
Once they were apart, Peh-yan had sat down back, face as red as a boiled crab, mouth hanging open like he wanted to set a flytrap.
"So—" Mitsuya started, but once Peh-yan could get his gears working he began to shriek.
"YOU'RE GAY?"
"Well, yes—"
"Technically, no, I'm bisexual—"
"YOU'RE KISSING A DUDE—"
"Well, yes, I'm kissing a guy—"
"And I'm kissing a gay, get it, Mitsuya—"
"WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING?!"
Mitsuya didn't answer, instead, he pulled out his phone and checked the unread message. He typed something, smiling.
By the time he pocketed the device back, Peh-yan apparently was still looking at him like he had grown another head.
To think about it, maybe it would be less surprising than watching two guys kissing.
"In case it isn't clear enough to you, we're dating." Mitsuya crossed his arms over his chest. "Draken and I."
Draken snickered when Peh-yan's eyes ping-ponged between them.
"I guess, it is clear enough for him, Mitsuya."
Mitsuya huffed. "He just found out I'm not straight, maybe some other facts fly over his head too."
"Like what?"
"Let me see," Mitsuya pretended to be in deep thought. "Like, how he thinks Yasuda is having a crush on me?"
As if his face couldn't get more flustered, Peh-yan let out a choked-up sound.
"Or how he might accidentally overhear Yasuda practice with me some weeks ago and drew the wrong conclusion without knowing what's really happening?"
Draken went to pat Pochi's head when the dog sought his hand.
"Oh, you mean—?"
Mitsuya nodded. "Yeah, that one."
"What are you talking about?" Peh-yan interrupted. "I know I'm not the smartest person in the world, but I'm not stupid, Mitsuya. I saw you and her. I know what's going on."
Mitsuya sighed, almost in a disappointed way. "And what is it, Peh? What do you think is going on?"
Peh-yan glanced at Draken. "You cheated. Either on him or on her. But you're still cheating."
Mitsuya had never felt a headache come to him in such a ferocity.
The urge to palm his face was as strong as the urge to shake Peh-yan by his shoulder.
Which once again, Draken did, on reflex.
"Geez, Peh, Mitsuya's never cheating on me. I'm talking about how you overheard Yasuda practicing of her love confession with Mitsuya, two weeks ago, and apparently, since you didn't know the whole thing, you made Mitsuya your enemy, when you're so clearly, obviously, into Yasuda. You're jealous."
Peh-yan blushed at that. "I don't—"
"Nah, don't me give those bullshits." Pochi barked as if she wanted to offer her opinion. Draken grinned at her before he refocused on Peh-yan. "You're jealous and angry at Mitsuya for no reason. You should stop being dumbass and just man up, if you don't want Yasuda to fall for someone else."
Peh-yan opened his mouth, either to deny or argue, but quickly clamped it shut, at Draken's sharp gaze.
"So, are you gonna do what I say?"
Peh-yan didn't answer.
But Mitsuya found out that he didn't need Peh to answer to Draken.
Not when the person to whom Peh needed to talk was standing awkwardly at the entrance of the playground.
"Yasuda-san!" Mitsuya waved his hand. Peh whipped his head so fast, that Mitsuya could almost hear the crack. "Here!"
Draken let him go, which was actually the wrong thing to do because Peh-yan lost his balance almost immediately, falling off the bench.
Mitsuya couldn't help himself from smiling when Yasuda rushed to him once she saw the incident.
"Are you okay?"
Peh grumbled. "'m fine."
The reluctance seemed to be the sobering reality for her.
"So, what's up, Prez?" Yasuda went to ignore Peh's presence. "I didn't expect you'd call me out of the blue."
"Being the meddling menace."
Mitsuya got off his seat, offering his place for her to sit.
"Yasuda-san, I'm making the moment happen. Because if you rely on him to be the one to create the magic, it's not gonna happen." He eyed the cartoon bag Yasuda tried to hide behind her back. "And, I guess, I just find you the perfect time to present that."
He grabbed Draken's hand, pulling him up. The other compelled.
"C'mon Draken, let's get outta here. These two need to talk."
"Did you just sacrifice our dignity, coming out to the person I expect the least, all because Peh-yan's been avoiding you after he thought Yasuda's confessing to you?"
Mitsuya shrugged. "Well yes—"
Draken thrust Pochi's leash to him, then pulled out his phone.
"Uh, what are you doing—?"
"Texting our friends to come and see us," he typed furiously. "I don't have any dignity left, might as well tell them we're dating, before Peh accidentally outed us."
Mitsuya snickered.
Well, at least, he and Draken got something out of this.